An encounter of minds
by B. Weasley
Summary: Albus Dumbledore thought that a trip after everything that happened will be good, he just didn't think that he will encounter someone like him.


**Enter for the Houses Competition Y5 - Round 4 - Eagles - Transfiguration**

**Prompt:** [Crossover] X-Men Universe (set in the X-Men First Class)

**Category:** Standard

**Word count: **1.083

* * *

_**An encounter of minds**_

Albus Dumbledore never imagined that one day he will travel abroad Europe; yes, this is something that he and Gellert had talked in the past, but he never thought that he will follow this thought and actually travel… it's nice to left Britain and all the horrors of the war behind.

He decided that it was best if he travelled as a Muggle, especially after everything that had happened in the last few months. And he always was intrigued by the way that Muggles live their lives; with that in mind, Albus bought a ticket to travel in a ship, departing from London towards New York. He thought that is going to be good to clear his mind and return in time to the start of a new term at Hogwarts.

Albus was very intrigued by this way of traveling, how the Muggles could make something so big, travel so smooth; he thought that Muggles were very clever in some ways, he just wished that he could have talked a little more about this with Lily Evans. Albus sighed to himself, trying not to dwell so much in his thoughts.

"Rough day?" a voice at his eft asked, startling Albus and making the man look in the direction of the voice. "Sorry for startling you, but you look like you needed someone to talk."

Albus looked the young man who talked with him, realizing that he was only a child, barely a teenager; he looked a little rough like he had passed for difficulty times, so young in his life. Albus could relate with this, himself having some troubles recently.

"I guess I could say the same to you, young man," Albus said, looking to the boy with a twinkle in his eyes. Albus could sense that this boy was different from a Muggle, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what he had that is different.

"I guess you can say that, but not many adults wants to have conversations with children; only if the children have something that the adults want," the boy replied with an edge to his voice.

"So you are saying that many adults are only interested in what they can get to themselves? I guess you haven't met selfless adults then," Albus said, looking at the view in front of him, trying not to say the wrong thing to the boy.

"I guess not… they only want me to do something for them, but this not what I was going to do, so this is why I'm in this ship right now," the boy said, looking at the view like Albus. "And why are you here in this ship sir, if I may ask."

"Oh, I wanted to travel for a while now, but with the war, that had been impossible," Albus said, trying not to show that he wasn't talking about the World Wide War, but the war that the Wizarding World was facing and that he had a major role in that war.

"The war ruin many things, don't you think?" the boy asked more to himself than to Albus, but he listened anyway. Albus saw that the boy had a sadness in his eyes like he had seen many horrors so early in his life.

"Yes, I agree with you in this; but the worst war of all is the one you have with your heart," Albus said, leaning on the ship's railing and sighing. He really didn't want to dwell on that thoughts; he did what he had to do, for the _Greater Good._

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," the boy said, with a strange expression in his face. Albus couldn't quite define what he was seeing, the boy different from everyone that he had met in the past. But wasn't Gellert also different from the other people in the Wizarding World? And look what happened then.

"My apologizes, I'm okay; sometimes I get lost in my own thoughts and forgot about where I am or with whom I am," Albus said, giving a little smile in the direction of the boy, who just frowned and shrugged like this isn't a big deal. "And this makes me realize that I don't know your name."

"Oh, I'm Erik," the boy said, after thinking a little; this could be something strange, but Albus thought that he was just shy.

"Nice to meet you Erik, I'm Albus," Albus said smiling a little, seeing that Erik didn't provide his last name. "Are you enjoying the trip?"

"Yes, I'm enjoying and can't wait until we arrive at New York; it's going to be a very excitant new beginning to me," Erik said, with a wicked smile. Albus was startled to see that this boy's smile remind him so much of one of Gellert's; it was incredible that a Muggle boy could remind him of one of the greatest wizards that he met.

"Are you moving to New York then? Do you know someone there? Will be any members of your family waiting for you on the port?" Albus asked, trying not to show that he felt anything different.

"No, I don't have any family that, but this isn't going to be an impediment to me; I can take care of myself, I don't need anyone to help me," Erik said, with a frown in the face, looking at Albus like he saw a stranger. "It's a good conversation, but I'm feeling a little tired now. If you excuse me, I'm going to my cabin."

"Uh, of course; it's going to be a long trip anyway, so it's better if we rest," Albus said, trying to understand what had provoked the change in Erik's demeanor. He tried to think in something more to say, but before he could have the chance, Erik disappeared in the cabin's corridor.

Sighing to himself, Albus let his mind wonder to where had been before Erik started talking with him; he doesn't know what to do, after what happened between him and Gellert, he doesn't know how to help the Wizarding World to have faith at him again.

He hopes that in this trip he could clear his mind and find some new things that he could teach at his students; maybe he could even visit Ilveemorny and talk with the Transfiguration teacher. With a last look at the view, Albus sighed again and decided to follow Erik's decision and go back to his cabin; this is going to be a long journey.


End file.
